Envelope making machine



Sept. 26, 1939. A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINE Filed Spt. 14, 1935 3Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR.

Aim/2am Nor/ck.

I Qfmf ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 26, 1939. ov c 2,173,854

ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 14, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Abra/7amNay/bk.

ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 26, 1 939. A. NOVICK 2,173,854

ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINE I Filed Sept. 14, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet a Fig. 7.

INVENTOR. Abra/7am Nov/ck.

ATTORNEY5.

Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENVELOPE MAKENGMAGHINE Application September 14, 1935, Serial No. 40,597

13 Claims.

This invention relates to envelope making machines and more particularlyto machines for making envelopes of the window type.

It has heretofore been the most common practice to attach window patchesto window envelope blanks by means of an adhesive rendered tacky bymoisture. Such practice is subject to numerous drawbacks. It sometimeshappens that the adhesive is unevenly applied. When there is an excessof adhesive in a particular spot the adhesive is apt to be squeezed outbeyond the overlapping areas of the patch and the blank. It may then betransferred to a part of the envelope machine, or may cause the flapsforming the back of the envelope to adhere to the face of the envelope,or may cause two of the envelopes to adhere to one another. When theadhesive is too scantily applied the patch may curl away from the blankand may even be accidently detached 20 altogether and thus leave theentire gummed area exposed. That such an occurrence produces highlyobjectionable consequences is readily apparent.

The use of dry adhesive rendered tacky by heat has been proposed, butthe methods employed have involved a slowing down of production ascompared with standard practice.

In accordance with a preferred method of practicing the presentinvention the patch material is coated with a dry adhesive which is setwhen cool but which is rendered tacky by heat. The patch and envelopeblank are juxtaposed while in motion and are then passed togetherthrough devices which heat the patch and press its margins firmly 35against the envelope blank without interrupting or impeding the advanceof the blank.

After the patch is applied it is quickly cooled to cause the adhesive tobecome set at once, so that the patched blank leaves the patch unitingmeans with the adhesive in a set condition.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings forming part of this specification- Fig. 1 is afragmentary, diagrammatic view in sectional side elevation, showing aportion of an envelope machine embodying features of the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lining face of an 50 envelope blank havinga patch applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, in sectional side elevation, showing amodification of the structure disclosed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4:115 a fragmentary view on a larger scale thanv Fig. 1 showing thedelivery end of a fanout drier mechanism whereby the blanks aredelivered, after their sealing flaps have been gummed and dried, to theindividualizing and patch applying mechanism disclosed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing details of 5 construction of thepatch uniting mechanism, certain of the parts being broken away forclearness of illustration;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, detail view in sectional side elevation takenon the line 6-t of Fig. 7, 10 looking in the direction of the arrows,showing the patch heating and applying means of Fig. i on a larger scalethan Fig. 1 and in greater detail;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the patch heating andtransferring means of Figs. 15 1 and 6, parts being broken away forclearness of illustration;

Fig. 8 is a detail view in sectional elevation, illustrating certainfeatures of the patch applying means of Fig, 1 and particularly themeans for 2 cooling the patch applying cylinder, and

Fig. 9 is a view in elevation showing the patch applying cylinder ofFig. 8 and the cooling means therefor.

For the purpose of making clear the general 5 nature and objects of theillustratied apparatus the complete operation of the preferredembodiment will first be briefly described, and a more detaileddescription will then be given.

The envelope blanks I are supplied from a stack (not shown). Each blankcomprises a front panel 2, side flaps 3 and 4, a bottom fiap 5 and asealing flap 6. The front panel 2 is provided with a window opening Iwhich is closed by a patch 1b of transparent material. The blanks 5 arefed in overlapped relation through a fan out gumming mechanism (notshown) which is of known construction, whereby a gum stripe 8 is appliedto a margin of the sealing flap of each blank; The gummed blanks aredelivered inoverlapped relation to a drying conveyor 9 which, in turn,delivers the blanks to a timing and aligning mechanism Ill whichindividualizes the blanks. Each blank is carried uninterruptedly past arotary patch applying device I l, which tacks the patch along itsleading margin to the blank. The associated blank and patch are thendelivered to a patch uniting mechanism which continues the advance ofthe blank and patch and at the same time first heats the gum and thencools it. Pressure is applied throughout the heating and cooling of thegum so that the blank leaves the uniting mechanism with the patch firmlyand permanently united to it and in a dry condition. The blank thenpasses to a further conveyor l3 which delivers it to subsequentoperating instrumentalities for gumming and folding the side and bottomflaps to complete the manufacture of the envelope.

The drying conveyor 8 and the timing, aligning and individualizingmechanism i6 may be constructed and organized in the manner disclosed inthe pending application of Ferdinand L. Smithe and Abraham N ovick,Serial No. 734,978 filed July 13, 1934, for Manufacture of windowenvelopes. The patch applying mechanism may also be the same as thatdisclosed in said application, with the exception that the blank gummingmeans is omitted and provision is made for heating a portion of thepatch applier to render the set adhesive on the leading margin of thepatch tacky.

Briefly, the drying conveyor comprises a pair of chains I4 which run atthe delivery end of the conveyor upon sprockets l5 fast upon a lshaftl6. The shaft l6 also has fast upon it a feed roller |5b whichcooperates with a lower feed roller H for delivering the blanks awayfrom the conveyor. The blanks are delivered onto a table |8 with thegummed margins of the sealing flaps facing upward and trailing. Theblanks bend downward as they pass toward the table so that their windowareas are out of contact with one another. The upper surface of thetable if? stands substantially tangent to a pair of feed rollers I9which are fast upon a shaft 20. The shaft 20 also has fast upon it apair of sprockets 2% upon which parallel chains 2| travel in the planeof the top of the table I8. The chains are provided with transverselyaligned pins 22 which travel in unison, and which are adapted to engagein the angles of the blanks formed at the junction of the sealing flapsand the side flaps. Sectors 23, fast upon a shaft 24, are driven inunison with the rollers l9 and the conveyor chains 2|. As a blankreaches the top of the rollers 19 it is gripped by the sector 23 and fedrapidly forward to space it away from the next following blank. When thesectors and feed rollers have given up control of the blank, the pins 22engage behind the blank and advance it, at the same time acting to timethe blank and align it.

The chains 2| travel at their discharge ends upon sprockets 25 and thetable l8 terminates a little beyond the sprockets. The feed roller 26and cooperating segments 21, which travel a little faster than thechains 2|, pull the blanks away from the pins 22 and feed them betweenopposed lower and upper conveyors 28 and 29.

The conveyor 28 comprises a pair of laterally spaced belts 3E! and theconveyor 29 comprises a pair of similarly spaced belts 3|. The belts 30run upon end rollers 32 and 33 and upon a roller table (not shown). Thebelts 3| run upon end rollers 34 and 35.

The conveyor belts 30 and 3| carry the blanks in definitely timedrelation past the patch applying mechanism This mechanism comprises asupply reel 36 from which a web 31 of transparent patch material, coatedon all of its outer surface with a set adhesive adapted to be renderedtacky by heat, is drawn by continuously operating feed rollers 38 and39. The patch material is fed onto a table 40. The forward edge of thetable is provided with a shearing block forming one element of the patchsevering device. A blade 4| is adapted to cooperate with the shearingblock, being carried by a rocking frame 42 which is normally held up bya spring 4217. The

rocking frame is provided with a roller 43 which serves as a camfollower for engaging the periphery of the rotating cam 44. The cam 44is of generally circular contour, but is provided with a hump which actsupon the follower 43 to depress the rocking frame at the appropriatetime in the cycle of operations to cause a patch to be severed. The feedroller 39 is journalled in a further rocking frame 45 carried by a rockshaft 46. A spring 452) connected to the rocking frame 45 urges theroller 39 against the roller 38. The frame 45 may be rocked, however, toseparate the rollers at times.

The leading end of the web 31 which protrudes beyond the cutting blockof the table 40 extends into the path of a patch pressing and applyingsegment 41. The segment 41 travels about a hollow shaft 48 andcooperates with a bed cylinder 49. The segment 41 travels intosupporting relation to the web end, lifting it. The segment 41 thentravels further dragging across the surface of the web to the positionof Fig. 6 when the web is substantially taut. In the position of Fig. 6the cutting device is about to operate. At the instant of patchseverance the leading edge of the web stands between the leading edge ofthe cylindrical surface of the segment 41 and row of suction passages 50provided in the segment near the leading end thereof. The segment 41carries the severed patch around and coacts with the bed cylinder 49 topress the patch in proper position against the envelope blank. Thesegment 41 is carried by two rocker arms 5| which in turn are pivotallymounted each upon a crank 52 carried by the shaft 48. Provision is madeof a spring 53 for yieldingly urging the segment 41 outward away fromthe axis of the shaft 48 and of means for positively limiting suchoutward movement. Suction is applied to the passages in the segment 41through a flexible hose 54.

An important feature of the invention has to do with the heating of thepatch by the segment 41, so as to cause the adhesive on the leadingmargin of the blank engaging face of the patch to be tacky at the timewhen the blank is carried into juxtaposition to the moving blank.

The segment 41 is provided near its forward end with a longitudinallyextending bore 55 in which the heating unit 56 is mounted. The heatingunit comprises a metallic tube 51 which encloses a resistance element 58and suitable insulating packing for insulating the resistance elementfrom the sleeve. Opposite ends of the resistance element 58 areconnected through insulated conductors 59 and 60, respectively, toconductive rings 6| and 62. The rings 6| and 62 are mounted uponinsulating rings 63 and 64, which are supported by and rotate with theshaft 48. Conductive brushes 65 and 66, carried on but insulated fromframe members 61 and 68, are connected through insulated conductors 69and to the opposite terminals of a source of electrical energy. As aresult of the arrangement described, electrical energy is constantlysupplied to the heating unit so that the forward margin of each patch isapplied hot to the envelope blank. The patch is accordingly tacked byits forward margin to the blank and is held against shifting in itssubsequent travel with the blank.

After the patch is applied, the blank is delivered by the conveyor belts30 and 3| to a drum 5| which forms part of the mechanism for permanentlyuniting the patch to the blank. A

flexible metallic band 12 runs in opposed rela- 7 tion tothe drum Hthrough a substantial arc, being supported and guided by rollers l3, l4and '15, so that it presses the patch and blank firmly against the drum.The band 12 is a little wider than the patch and is adapted to press andfeed the blank and to transmit heat to the adhesive on the patch. Twosmall heated rollers 16 and T! are provided to press downward againstthe upper side of the band 12 near the blank receiving end of the band.These rollers heat the patch adhesive and act through the band to pressthe patch firmly against the lining face of the blank, completely aroundthe border or margin of the window opening. The patch, however, bridgesthe window opening and is not pressed into engagement with the drum. Inorder to prevent the subsequent separation of the patch and the blank itis desirable that the adhesive be cooled while pressure is maintainedbetween the patch and the blank. After the patch has passed the secondof the rollers 16, therefore, it is caused to travel for a substantialdistance between the band and the drum. Provision is made of means forcooling the drum so that the united patch and blank leave the band anddrum with the adhesive set.

The heated rollers 15 are journalled in bearings 78 of rocking arms '19which are mounted and guided on stationary frame members 89. Springs 8!draw the arms '59 toward the axis of the drum and thus serve to applyyielding pressure to the rollers 16. Each roller 16 con tains a heatingelement 82 which is similar to the heating element 58, alreadydescribed. Each heating element 92 comprises a resistance element 83,the opposite ends of which are connected, respectively, throughinsulated conductors 84 and 8 5, to conductive rings 86 and 8'! whichare mounted upon insulating rings 88 and 89 carried by the shaft 73.Brushes 90 and ti are carried by the arms 1'9 and engage, respectively,with the rings 89 and 8?. Insulated conductors 92 and 93 connect thebrushes with the opposite terminals of a source of electrical energy sothat current is supplied at all times to the heating elements in therollers 16.

The means for cooling the drum "H may be of any suitable design and mayutilize water, air or any other suitable cooling fluid. In theembodiment of Fig. 5, the drum ii is hollow and has a bearing hub 'Hd inan axial portion of one of its ends. Pipes Nb and lie enter the drumthrough the hub Hd. Cooling water is fed into the drum through the pipeH b and is withdrawn from it through the pipe Hc, for regulating thetemperature of the drum. The pipes 7 lb and 1 lo may be connected with asuitable pump and reservoir (not shown), and any desired means may beemployed for cooling the water which is to be delivered into the drum.

In the form of Fig. 8 air cooling means is employed. A jacket 94 extendspart way around the drum and is provided with an intake nipple 95 forconnection to an air hose. Cool air is blown through the hose and intothe jacket so that it travels in contact with the surface of the drum.The air blown through the jacket 94 is allowed to escape to theatmosphere through ports 96 and 9's at opposite ends of the jacket.

The envelope blanks, as they emerge from the patch uniting mechanism,travel across a guide 98 to the conveyor l3 whereby they are againaligned preparatory to being delivered to the subsequent operatinginstrumentalities for completing the manufacture of the blanks intoenvelopes and for stacking the finished envelopes.

The form of the invention disclosed in Fig. 3 is in all respects thesame as the form already described, with the exception that the patchapplying segment is not heated and instead provision is made forapplying spots of gum to the leading margin of the window opening ofeach blank before the patch is applied to the blank. The gum thusapplied is of the type which is rendered tacky by moisture, but it isapplied scantily and solely for the purpose of tacking the patch to theblank to hold the patch in place until it can be united permanently tothe blank by heat and pressure. A complete description of the disclosureof Fig. 3 is thought to be unnecessary and accordingly the partscorresponding to the parts of Fig. 1 have been designated by the samereference numerals with the subscript (1 added in each instance.

The gum applying mechanism comprises a gum pct 99 in which a roller E99is constantly rotated. A transfer roller Hill runs in engagement withthe roller H321 and is adapted to be intermittently engaged by a gumsegment I02 which is carried and driven by a rotative shaft E93. Thework engaging surface of the gum segment I02 travels at a peripheralspeed substantially equal to the linear speed of the blank. The segment12 has bosses 595 raised upon it which are the elements that actuallycontact the transfer roller HH and the blanks alternately.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of myinvention. I do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodimentsshown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In an envelope machine, in combination, means for juxtaposing anenvelope blank and a patch to be united thereto by means of an adhesivedisposed between them which is rendered tacky by heat, and means forfeeding and pressing the blank and the patch together and, during suchfeeding and pressing, first heating and then cooling the adhesive toeffect the adhesive union.

2. In an envelope machine, in combination, means for tacking to anenvelope blank a patch which is to be subsequently permanently united tothe blank by heat and pressure, and means for thereafter feeding theblank and patch together and, as an incident of such feeding, applyingheat and pressure to them to effect the adhesive union.

3. In an envelope machine, in combination, means for delivering anenvelope blank with a patch tacked thereto, which patch is to bepermanently united to the blank by heat and pressure, and means foreffecting the permanent union of the blank and the patch comprisingcooperative rotary feeding and pressing members of relatively small andlarge radius respectively, means for heating the smaller member, meansfor cooling the larger member, and means for guiding the blank inengagement with the larger member.

4. In an envelope machine, in combination, means for delivering anenvelope blank with a patch tacked thereto, which patch is to bepermanently united to the blank by heat and pressure, and means foreffecting the permanent union of the blank and the patch comprisingcooperative rotary feeding and pressing members of relatively small andlarge radius respectively, means for heating the smaller member, meansfor cooling the larger member, and a metallic band running between therotary members and in engagement with the larger member through asubstantial arc, to transmit the heat and pressure of the smaller memberto the blank and to cooperate in feeding the blank away from the smallermember for engagement with the larger member.

5. In an envelope machine, in combination, means for delivering anenvelope blank together with a patch in juxtaposed relation thereto, andmeans for applying heat and pressure to the patch and blank toadhesively unite them comprising a rotating drum, a. small heated rolleropposed to the drum, and a guide band having a stretch thereof runningbetween the small roller and the drum and in conformity to the drum fora substantial distance.

6. In an envelope machine, in combination, means for delivering anenvelope blank together with a patch in juxtaposed relation thereto, andmeans for applying heat and pressure to the patch and blank toadhesively unite them comprising a rotating drum, a small heated rolleropposed to the drum, and a guide band having a stretch thereof runningbetween the small roller and the drum and in conformity to the drum fora substantial distance, and means for cooling the drum comprising ajacket partially surrounding the drum and means for impelling a coolingfluid through the jacket.

7. In an envelope machine, in combination, means for tacking to anenvelope blank a patch which is to be subsequently permanently united tothe blank by heat and pressure, and means for thereafter feeding theblank and patch together and, as an incident of such feeding, applyingheat and pressure to them to effect the adhesive union, the tackingmeans, comprising a gum applicator for applying tacking gum to portionsof the window margin of the blank, and a patch applier for thereafterpressing a patch against the blank.

8. In an envelope machine, in combination, means for tacking to anenvelope blank a patch which is to be subsequently permanently united tothe blank by heat and pressure, and means for thereafter feeding theblank and patch together and, as an incident of such feeding, applyingheat and pressure to them to effect the adhesive union, the tackingmeans comprising means for severing a patch from a Web coated with setadhesive adapted to be rendered tacky by heat, means for transferringthe severed patch and pressing it against the blank, and means forheating the patch transferring means sufIiciently to cause localadhesion of the patch to the blank to be effected.

9. The method of making Window envelopes which comprises applying moistadhesive to a margin of the window opening, feeding into juxtapositionwith the Windowed envelope a window patch which is coated with anadhesive adapted to be rendered tacky by heat, tacking the patch to theenvelope by the moist adhesive and applying heat and pressure to thepatch and blank during the continued advance thereof, and thereaftercooling the adhesive to a set condition while holding the patch and theblank pressed together.

10. The novel envelope machine substantially as shown and describedherein, said machine comprising, in combination, means for juxtaposingan envelope blank element and a patch element to be united thereto, atleast one of which elements has a component adapted to be rendered tackyby heat, and means for first heating and then cooling said elements toeffect the tacky union.

11. A machine of the class described, said machine comprising, incombination, means for juxtaposing an envelope blank element and a patchelement to be united thereto, at least one of which elements has acomponent adapted to be rendered tacky by heat and means for feeding andpressing the blank and the patch together, and, during such feeding andpressing, first heating and then cooling said elements to eifect thetacky union.

12. A mechanism for applying patches to window envelopes, at least oneof which elements has a component adapted to be rendered tacky by heat,said mechanism comprising a pressing means, means for feeding saidelements respectively to said pressing means, and means to heat at leastone of said elements while being fed to said pressing means, saidseveral means cooperating to effect the permanent union of said patch tosaid windowed blank.

13. The novel method of making envelopes with patched window openings,at least one of said elements having a component adapted to be renderedtacky by heat, said method comprising feeding said elements respectivelyinto juxtaposition with each other, heating at least one of saidelements While being so fed, and applying pressure to said juxtaposedelements thereby to effect permanent union thereof to one another.

ABRAHAM NOVICK.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,17 ,85LL. September 26, 1939.

ABRAHAM NOVI CK It ishereby certified that erroi' appears in the printedspecification ofthe above numbered patent requiring correctionass-follows: Page h, ee c 0nd column lines 5" end 6, (315111119, strikeout the words 'and 06mm apply-.- ing moist adhesive to amargin or thewindow -openir;g,'"; line'aj, same claim,"

for "the" befqreWvindowed" read a; 1ines -9-end'1O, same claim 9 ,=strike out "tacking the patch to the 'envelope'by the moist adhesive"; andthat the said Letters Patent should be I-ead with thiaeorrection thereinthat the same may conform to the record ofthe case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this ZLLth day of Qetober, A. D, 1959.

Henry 'Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents,

